Here's to the mighty Queenslander

Stephanie Keays is an architect who appreciates the beauty and romance of the Queenslander house. "I love these houses. I was from down south, and when I came here it was so exciting to see homes that are so uniquely Queensland. The materials are different and the little details are different. There really are 'Queensland' ways of doing things!" (flickr cc: Sheba Also)

"One of the key things that defines a Queenslander is the timber," Ms Keays said. "Down south you'll have a lot of terrace houses with brick, stone or cast iron. Here, we had an amazing abundance of timber. Cyprus, red cedar and silky oak. That's the key element." (ABC Southern Qld: Peter Gunders)

Queenslanders are built on stumps, but they aren't always highset. "You will see a lot of regional variations," Ms Keays said. "In Brisbane, the homes closer to the river tend to be a bit higher. In places like Toowoomba and Warwick they'll still be on stumps, but a bit lower to the ground. It's a bit colder there, and you don't want those winds coming underneath the house in winter!" (flickr cc: Jan Smith)

"The verandah as a living space is a key element," Ms Keays said. "The outdoor living space is much more suited to the Queensland lifestyle. Not so much Tasmania or Victoria! The tradition of having a sleepout on the verandah is a very Queensland thing. You'll find the grand houses had the big verandah all the way around, while the smaller cottages might have just had one on the front." (flickr cc: Brant Arthur)

"The coloured and patterned glass is important," Ms Keays said. "The grand versions down south often had leadlight. Queensland had a simplified version. When you think about a Queenslander you often think about that green or pink glass." (flickr cc: recoverling)

"Look at the tin," Ms Keays said. "In the early days tin only came in short lengths. If you see a join in the middle it's probably the original tin. Isn't that great? There's little things those buildings can tell you." (ABC Southern Qld: Peter Gunders)

One of the key attributes of the Queenslander is its adaptability. "It suits different soil types, and the extreme changing climate we have here," Ms Keays said. "These houses are designed to move a lot, which is nice, as long as you don't mind the doors not always closing!" (flickr cc: Brant Arthur)

"If you want very square lines, and perfectly opening and closing doors all the time, it might not be the house for you," Ms Keays said. (ABC Wide Bay: Brad Marsellos)

"Those knocks and dents are part of the story. You can leave it without paint for a few years and it doesn't take much to bring them back," Ms Keays said. "I love a bit of rust and ageing." (ABC Southern Qld: Peter Gunders)